Load releasing means



NOV. 29, 1949 J. c. RUMSEY LOAD RELEASING MEANS Filed July 3, 1946 INVENTQR.l d l Pamqy 1 www.

Patented Nov. 29, 1949 zagen UNITED STATES PATENT 1 OFFICE;

1 LoAD RELEASING MEANS John C. Rumsey, Mission, Kans.

Application Jury s, 194s, serial No. 691,395

The present invention relates to automatic load-release devices and aims to provide a novel and improved construction of appliance adapted to satisfy all the requirements of an efficient and practical device of this type as regards its loadsupporting function, vand also provide reliable releasing means adapted to operate to effect release of the load upon Aslackening of the pull of Such load to a predetermined point or fraction of the full actual weight of the load.

The invention relates particularly to devices of this class which are used in aerial transportation and require load-releasing means operative to maintain a continuous and reliable holding and supporting connection with the load, and

s claims. (C1. 294-83) including means also operating to insure'insta'nt release of said supporting connection at the land- I ing point, or place of deliveryof the load..Y

For the embodiment of my 'inventiorLl I fp'rovide a device comprising separable connecting elements designed for attachment to the transport or carrier (such as a parachute) and to the load respectively, and also latching` meansr operative to maintain said elements connected in securely latched relation both prior to and after application of the load, after which the loadreleasing function operates automatically in response to a slackening of the pull exerted by the load to a given predetermined point or given weight factor representing only a part of the actual or full weight of the load.

For accomplishing these objects of my invention I have devised a construction comprising separable elements designed to be attached to the parachute or transporting member and to the load respectively, and operative to yieldingly support the load until only a given minimum fraction of the weight of the load is transmitted to the supporting member, when said separable elements of the appliance are automatically disengaged, thereby freeing the transporting member or carrier entirely from the load at the point of release.

It is also sought to provide a neat and very compact construction, composed of but few operating parts, most of which are practically en tirely enclosed and protected in a housing structure comprising the main structural element of the improved appliance.

With the foregoing general objects in View, the invention `will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating` one practical form of construction which I have devised and found to be suitable for the efiicient embodiment of the proposed improvements, after which those features and combinations deemed to be novel and patentable will be particularly set forth and claimed.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is an elevation illustrating a loadreleasing device constructed in accordance with the present invention, and the parts thereof shown in their operative relation prior to the load-releasing operation;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the device, representing a section taken on the.

line 2 2 of Figure 1, andwith dotted lines indicating the load-supporting connections in their released and detached relation; and

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional detail View.

ing for enclosing a pair of coil spring elements,

including a compression spring I4 which is seated in and permanently secured (as indicated at I6) 'within the lower end of said casing (see Figure 2), and also a strong tension spring I8, the upper end of which is provided with a T form of attachment 20 designed for detachable engagement with a pair of notches or recesses Z2 formed lat the upper end of a longitudinal slot Z4 provided along one side of said casing IU. This slot 24 permits the insertion of said spring I8 into the interior of the casing for removable latching and releasing purposes, and the lower end of 'said spring I8 is provided with a pivotal con- Y nection with a loop 26 forming part of a second swivel link 28 designed to serve as a means of connection to the load which is to be releasably carried by the appliance.

The compression spring I4 is designed to serve as a yielding cushion for certain of the parts after these have been assembled in the operative and.'

latched relationship illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, with the spring I8 enclosed within the casing I0. In this relation the spring I8 is maintained under a given tension by having its upper end anchored by means of the attachment 22 and its lower end drawn down by the link 28 and the latter then latched after having applied a certain degree of pressure to the other spring I4.

The lower portion of the casing I is formed with a pair of diagonal slots 3d on opposite sides of the longitudinal slot 24, for accommodating the movement of the upper crossbar 28' of the link 28 when assembling the parts in the relation just described.

The latching means for retaining the parts in the aforesaid relation consists of a semicylindrical element 32 pivoted at 34 to the sides of the casing I e and'formed with notches 35 in its lower edge for latchin'g engagement with the crossbar 28 of said link 2S. A leaf spring 38 is attached by a rivet 4i) to said latch element 32 and tendsY to actuate the latter normally outward into un-r latched position, as indicated by the dotted linesin Figure 2. A loop or keeper member 42 on the casing II) serves to limit said outward movement of the latch element 32.

A leaf spring 45 is also anchored at 46 within the top portion of the casing I0, with the lower end of said spring extending in position for engagement with the attachment 2t` supporting the spring I3, and'exerting thereon aY pressure sumcient to dislodge said attachment from the notches 22Vwhen the. pull on. thespring I8 falls below a given tension.

In operation, the load is supported by the parts occupying the positions illustrated by the full lines in Figures 1 and 2. VIn this relation the weight of the load is divided between they springs I4 and I 8-the latter being pulled down under tension and the spring I4 supporting the balance of the load under compression..

The parts are assembled. initially and maintained in the said relation by the latching means above describemwith the springs I4 and I8 maintained under certain degrees of compression and A tension respectively, and this latching means is suiliciently secure 'to allow all the necessary handling of the appliance, preparatory to operation under load as when dropped for a parachute landing. When this takes place, and the load is therefore taken up by a pull on the connecting link 28, the spring I4 is still further compressed, with the result that the latch 32 is released and therefore becomes automatically disengaged from the load-supporting link 28. Thereafter during the continued flight the load is supported by the joint action ofthe two springs I4 and I8 and hence any variation in the pull of the load will be automati'cally accommodated by corresponding or compensating spring action, within a given limit as represented by a predetermined minimum pull sign in which the important operating elements of the construction are all securely housed and protected by being enclosed within the remainder of the appliance. While I have illustrated and described what I now regard as the preferred form of construction for the embodiment of my improvements, I desire to be understood as reserving the right to make whatever changes or modications may be deemed to fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Y

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent; is:

1. Load releasing means for releasing loads from parachute carriers and the like, comprising a main lbody member or attachment to the carrier, a link orconnector for attachment to the load and proof. the load. Such predetermined limit corresponds to a retraction of the spring I8 sufficient tobring the crossbar 28 to the upper end of thel slots 33, when the pressure tending to hold. the-A attachment 26 in position will be overcome by the action of the spring 45, which accordingly acts to eject or dislodge said attachment from the notches or recesses 22, thus leaving the parts carrying the load entirelyunSuppOIted and free-as represented bythe dottedl line positions, inFigure 2 of the drawing.

It will therefore be seen that I have devised a practical and ecient arrangement and construction for the carrying out of all the principal objects of my invention, including the provision of a devided withV a tension coil supporting spring detachably connected with said body member, a compression spring engaged by said link and cooperating with said coil spring for supporting the load, and means operating automatically as the tension on. said coil spring imposed by the load falls to a given minimum limit for effecting detachment thereof from said body member.

2. Load releasing means for releasing loads from parachute carriers or the like, comprising a main connector member for' attachment to the carrier, a, connecting link for attachment to the load and provided with a tension. coil supporting spring deta'chably connected with said main connector 'memben a compression spring engaged by said linkiand cooperating with said coil spring for supporting the load, an automatic latching element for engaging. said' link and retaining the parts in predetermined.latched'y relation while releasing the link under normal load pressure upon said compression spring, and meansoperating automatically as the tension on said coil spring imposed by the load falls to a given minimum limit, for effecting detachment thereof fromsaid main connector member; y

3, Load releasing means for releasing loads from parachute carriers or the like, comprising a tubular body or main connectormember for attachment to the carrier, a connecting link for attachment to the load. and provided with a coil supporting. spring enclosed by said body member andfdetachably connected with said main connector member, a compression spring also enclosed by said tubular body and cooperating with said coil spring for supporting the load, and means operating automatically as the tension on said coil spring imposed by the load falls to a given minimum limit"l for effecting detachment thereof from said body or main connector member.

JOHN C. RUMSEY.

REFERENCESl CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTSv 

